The City of Castlegar paid its employees over $5.5 million in wages and expenses in 2022, an increase of $328,683, or 6.3 per cent, over 2021.
However, that was below the increase in the consumer price index during the same period of 6.8 per cent, which was a 40-year high.
According to the city’s annual statement of financial information, 34 employees made at least $75,000 in 2022, compared to 29 the previous year, while 15 made at least $100,000, up from 14 in 2021.
The total payroll was $5,390,746 plus $113,914 in expenses for a grand total of $5,504,660. In 2021, wages came to $5,094,309 and expenses to $81,668 for a total of $5,175,977.
The top earners among staff were as follows:
| Name | Position | Salary | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Barlow | Chief administrator | $180,244 | $10,780 |
| Ola Oladele | Finance director | $158,667 | $10,443 |
| Chris Hallam | Municipal services director | $142,130 | $4,847 |
| Tracey Butler | Corporate services director | $140,557 | $4,444 |
| Sam Lattanzio | Fire chief | $137,996 | $334 |
All but Hallam also appeared on the list of top five earners in 2021.
The elected officials, both new and returning, made just under $150,000 combined in stipend and expenses. That’s compared to about $128,000 in 2021, but the city saved money that year due to a couple of vacancies on council. The total was about $135,000 in 2020.
Last year council voted to increase the incoming mayor’s base salary from $32,000 to $34,800 and increase the salary for councillors from $16,000 to $17,500, to reflect a two per cent cost of living increase and other adjustments.
| Name | Position | Salary | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk Duff | Mayor | $34,267 | $3,289 |
| Dan Rye | Councillor | $14,933 | $6,428 |
| Bergen Price | Councillor | $14,933 | $506 |
| Maria McFaddin | Councillor/Mayor | $17,469 | $2,636 |
| Brian Bogle | Councillor | $16,000 | $2,786 |
| Darcy Bell | Councillor | $1,067 | – |
| Sandy Bojechko | Councillor | $1,067 | – |
| Shirley Falstead | Councillor | $1,067 | – |
| Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff | Councillor | $16,000 | $1,285 |
| Cherryl MacLeod | Councillor | $16,000 | – |
| Total | $132,803 | $16,930 |
Bogle, Heaton-Sherstobitoff, and MacLeod were re-elected in October, and therefore served a full year. Duff, Rye, and Price did not seek re-election, while Bojechko, Bell, and Falstead were newly elected, so each only served part of 2022. McFaddin was elected mayor after serving as councillor.
